Goddammit, I’m all in for the Celtics

I’ve seen this act before. We’ve all seen this act before. The Celtics, at times, looked pathetic during this regular season. Almost embarrassing. It made it tough for me to tag myself as a Celtics fan in front of the gloating Bruins fans in this city. Keyon Dooling and Ryan Hollins? Who the shit is that? The Celtics fell a few places back in the Boston sports popularity scene, so only the die hards knew Dooling is good for a corner three every third game and Hollins has the potential to be a solid rebounder if he plays with the right team, coach, environment, city, pre game meal, good dry cleaner etc. But I digress. Simply put, this Celtics team is not very well known. Even in Boston.

So now the Celtics are pushing when it matters most into the playoffs. The act of slugging through the regular season in order to get the starters ready for post season basketball. Is it time to believe that this team might somehow make it deep into the playoffs like the underserving Rasheed Wallace Celtic team from a couple years back?

I think so. Because me? Oh, I’m brainwashed. Seeing this Celtics team hover around .500 and then burst into the playoffs is something I’m used to since the 2002 Kenny Anderson days when they were coming back from 20 points down in the 4th to win (below). There isn’t much I don’t think this team is capable of. And I’m not being a homer douchebag, I’m just being an ignorant shit head. I’m used to this team turning it on in crunch time, and naively I think they will always turn it on and win in the playoffs. Thanks Jason Kidd and Kenyon Martin..

But regardless of what happens next week, my stance on the Celtics won’t change. Which is sad. Starting on Sunday, the Celtics will play the Heat twice, Bulls, Spurs, Pacers, and the 76ers all in the following ten days. If they go 1-5 I’ll chalk it up as a “preparing for the playoffs” loss but if they go 4-2 or dare I say 5-1 I’ll chalk it up as a “Never ever trade the Big Three…Ever” win.

I really can’t lose here.

If the C’s didn’t have the third best record in the NBA after the All Star break, I wouldn’t be writing this garbage now. Garnett and Rondo playing at superhero levels doesn’t help, along with the young guns like Bradley and Stiemsma playing pretty significant “not the worst” type minutes.

So for a delusional moron like myself, the Celtics can only go uphill from here in my eye. If (when) they lose in the playoffs, it will be fine. Everybody expected them too. But a grueling seven game battle with Heat or Bulls with a possible upset? Not completely out of the question.